A FIREWORK company in the South has banned its own sparklers because they can maim children.

The UK's oldest and largest fireworks display firm, Pains Fireworks Ltd, has ceased selling the last hand-held device available in Britain, on safety grounds.

It comes as the government is campaigning to reduce child casualties in the build-up to Bonfire Night.

Sparklers, which can become up to six times hotter than a pan of hot cooking oil, were the single major cause of injury to under-10s during the same period last year and they hurt more people in their back gardens than any other firework.

The move comes as thousands of families in the South prepare for firework celebrations tomorrow.

Bill Deeker, managing director of Pains Fireworks, based in Whiteparish, near Romsey, said: "When fireworks are used properly they are almost always safe, but if you put them in the hands of children there is always room for mishaps.

"Parents probably have little idea but sparklers can get up to six times as hot as a chip pan and we feel, in the light of other safety initiatives we have adopted this year, that to continue to put fireworks in the hands of children just isn't acceptable.

"It is a matter of principle."

The father-of-four continued: "The law restricts the sale of pyrotechnics to adults only.

"Sparklers seem the one anomaly and it's not one we are happy to continue to support."

He said Pains, which would be organising many of the firework displays in the region this weekend, did not want to take the fun out of the occasion - only the danger.

The company is offering alternatives, such as fibre-optic torches and luminous jewellery.

Meanwhile, a leading parenting website, motherandbaby.co.uk, has launched the first-ever virtual reality, family-friendly firework display.

The company says sparklers should never be given to the under-fives and parents should never hold a sparkler while they are also holding an infant.